(by Jason Simmonds)
Final game of Players’ Championship comes down to final shot by veteran skip
SUMMERSIDE – It was a storybook ending to a distinguished career!
© Jason Simmonds/Journal Pioneer
The Kevin Martin rink poses with the championship trophy for the 2014 Players’ Championship at Eastlink Arena in Summerside on Sunday evening. From left: Ben Hebert, lead; Dave Nedohin, second stone; Jules Owchar, coach; Marc Kennedy, third stone, and Martin.
Kevin Martin, who announced on Friday night that he is retiring from curling and will join Rogers Sportsnet as an analyst next season, won the season-ending Players’ Championship at Eastlink Arena on Sunday evening. Martin pulled out an exciting 4-3 victory over 2014 Olympic gold-medallist Brad Jacobs.
“There were a couple of big things (that played a big role in the final),” explained Martin, 47. “Before the game even started in the draw to the button, Brad hit the button, I hit the button, both thirds hit the button and Dave (Nedohin) ended up outdrawing E.J. (Harnden in a battle of second stones), so we had hammer and then got the first deuce (in the second end).
“Those were the two big things – winning the hammer and gaining the first deuce, and we carried it from there.”
But the last chapter was not written until Martin’s final hammer shot of the game in the eighth end.
Click for full story and video interview with Kevin Martin in the Journal Pioneer